How easy it is to unpack and get back to your normal life when you move into a new home or apartment depends entirely on how well you packed and labeled your boxes before you left. Here are some simple tips to help make the packing and prep before moving day a little easier.

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They say an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Nowhere does that statement ring truer than when it comes to moving your home or apartment. If you're planning a move in the near future (like I am,) you can save yourself a ton of headache by packing and prepping properly before you load up the truck.

The blog Passionate Homemaking reminds us of some things we always say we want to do before we move but never get around to: things like making sure we minimize as much as possible and toss out, donate, or sell as much as we can so we don't have to take it with us.

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Another great tip they share is to label your most important and "must unpack first" boxes with red tape. This way you have a visual cue that a box is important to your day-to-day life, and you open it first. It's a great way to make sure you unpack your toiletries before you unpack your DVD collection.

They also suggest finding free moving boxes and newsprint on Craigslist from people looking to get rid of them. Another great place to find spare boxes is your local liquor store: most will be happy to offload them to someone who'll use them so they don't have to break them down. If you're lucky, you'll get the kind with spaces that you can use to transport glasses.